A MOTORIST involved in a fatal collision with an elderly pedestrian has been cleared of causing her death by careless driving.

Liam David Abbott denied the charge, arising from the tragic collision on Front Street, Sacriston, County Durham, on Wednesday June 10, last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that he was at the wheel of his Renault Clio car, driving home with his wife and two children, in clear, sunny conditions, at about mid-day.

As he pulled out to turn right onto the village Front Street from the junction with Crossleas, 77-year-old Doreen Campbell was just stepping out to cross the road, to join a friend in a store opposite during their daily shopping trip.

The court heard that the Clio collided with Mrs Campbell no more than two seconds after leaving the junction, as she was three to four strides into the road.

She was thrown onto the bonnet as Mr Abbott immediately applied the brakes, and she fell to the ground.

Although she was attended at the scene by paramedics and received intensive emergency treatment at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, her death from multiple injuries was confirmed at the hospital three days later.

The prosecution claimed that although not a high-speed incident, the defendant displayed a “momentary lapse of attention” and should have seen Mrs Campbell before the collision.

But the court heard that it was agreed by both prosecution and defence driving experts that there would have been a brief obstruction in Mr Abbott’s view from his car by the A-pillar between the windscreen and the driver’s door, and because of a line of parked vehicles to his right as he was at the junction.

Mr Abbott told police he looked both ways at the junction to check for oncoming traffic on Front Street before pulling out, and he was only alerted of Mrs Campbell’s presence by his wife, as he virtually came into contact with the crossing pedestrian.

He said he immediately applied his brakes and contacted emergency services, but asked by interviewing officers if he was to blame, he replied: “I would say it was just an accident.”

The court heard the 23-year-old defendant, of Lingey Close, Sacriston, has no convictions and had a blemish free driving record since passing his test the previous September.

Following 20-minutes’ deliberation on the third day of the trial, the jury yesterday returned a unanimous ‘not guilty’ verdict.

Discharging Mr Abbott, Recorder Euan Duff told jurors: “This has been a complete tragedy from everybody’s point of view, but you may think it right that it should come before a jury in a case like this.”